Early Blossom Thoughts

Headline reports of meteorological records being broken don’t necessarily make for happy growers and farmers!

We have to admit that the dryish winter and spring enabled much out door work to be achieved.

Both air temperatures and moisture availability are crucial for a successful blossom time to actually bear some fruit for later in the year.

Both plum and cherry have bloomed during good sunny weather and plenty of insects have been about. The apple trees have begun flowering about 7- 10 days earlier than average – three weeks earlier than 2016 and one week later than 2015! Fortunately this very warm spell is to be followed by cooler conditions, although rainfall still eludes us here. Yes, we need warm sun for pollinating insects but not so hot as to dry the flowers thus making them unattractive with poor quality nectar.

This spell of unseasonably warm days has already yielded some hatched Vapoura moth larvae. Apple saw fly will be flying now.

Preferred conditions for the next six weeks include some much needed rainfall with associated cloud and breezes to fend off overnight frosts .